Wegmans Will Discontinue Self-Scanning App Because Of Misuse

NEW YORK — If you became a big fan of the Wegmans SCAN App during the COVID-19 pandemic, we have some bad news for you.

Wegmans just announced that it will be discontinuing its SCAN App, which shoppers have been able to use to scan and bag items as they walk through the store. The app will no longer function after Sunday. The company said they made the decision based on the fact that too many people have been using the app to shoplift.

"SCAN users have told us they love the app and the convenience it offers," the company wrote in an email to customers. "We love it too and have tried many adjustments to keep it. Unfortunately, the losses we are experiencing from this program prevent us from continuing to make it available in its current state."

According to Loss Prevention Magazine, the most common losses occur when customers fail to scan an item before bagging it or scan the barcode of a cheaper item, whether by mistake or on purpose. The magazine also warned that a store's losses could increase by 33 percent with a handheld scanning program.

Wegmans first introduced the SCAN App in April of 2019, and the contactless in-store shopping option became more widespread in stores just as the COVID-19 pandemic was kicking off. It was eventually available to customers in 90 stores across the Northeast, including the Harrison store in the Hudson Valley.

Any customer who used the service will be given a $20 courtesy credit in their online account, the company said.

"We've made the decision to turn off the app until we can make improvements that will meet the needs of our customers and business," Wegmans said. "We've learned a lot and we will continue to introduce new digital solutions to streamline your shopping experience for the future."